The number of COVID-19 cases reported in Warren County during the pandemic reached 1,600 on Thursday after state health officials announced nine new cases. It is estimated there are less than 60 active cases in the county.

Thursday’s report, while it did push the county’s seven-day average slightly higher, dealt a significant blow to state officials’ hopes of a downward trend as 1,612 new cases were reported statewide. Thursday’s report is among the highest single-day total of new cases the state has had since the pandemic began in early March.

Also Thursday, the state reported eight new deaths, bringing the total number of state residents who have died as a result of the virus to 3,405. There were no new deaths reported in Warren County, leaving the number of virus-related deaths in the county at 56.

The first case of COVID-19 in Mississippi was reported on March 11. The first confirmed case involving a Warren County resident was on March 29.

As the state has seen an overall rise in new cases in recent weeks, Warren County has seen cases remain comparatively low. Over the past two weeks, Warren County has seen an average of 4.5 new cases per day.